Electric switch.



I. HOERLE.

ELEGTBIG SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 3017.12, 1907.

939,258. Patented Nov. 9, 1909. I

'IN VEN TOR.

BY ITORNE Y.

FREDRICK HOERLE, 0F PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Application filed November 12, 1907. Serial No. 401,800.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRIGK HoERLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plainville, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more especially to the class of switches employing a pivoted switch arm or blade which in operation reciprocates between a plural number of contacts or terminals, and more especially designed for motor carriages, boats and the like, and the object of my invention is to provide an eflicient switch of this class of simple and cheap construction and which may be readily dismantled to effectually render it inoperative; and a further object of the invention is to provide a simple and cheap construction of post for supporting the switch arm or blade.

One form of device in the use of which these objects may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top or plan View of a switch embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 3 is an edge view. Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view in section on the line indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a top or plan view with the switch blade or arm removed. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the switch arm or blade and connected parts. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing a blank from which the post supporting the switch blade is constructed. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the completed post.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 8 denotes the base that may be constructed of any suitable insulating material, preferably a composition of matter. This base may be of any suitable form and has on its under surface a recess 9 and a groove 10 extending from said recess to the edge of the base. A slot 11 is formed in the base extending from the edge inward on the line of the groove 10. Suitable means as holes 12 for screws to secure the base in position are employed. Contacts 13 are secured to the base, these contacts being in the form of spring clips having a free end let forming a spring arm. These contacts extend through slots in the base, their ends being formed into terminals 15 having binding screws 16 for the attachment of a wire. These contacts are secured in place as by means of screws 17 located within the recess 9. A spring loop 18 is secured within a recess 20, this loop extending across the groove 10. It may be secured in any desired manner, as by means of screws 21 which may engage within threaded openings in the base, or threaded openings in metallic pieces 19 secured within the substance of the base in the formation of the latter. A toe 23 is formed to enter the spring loop 18 and has a stop 24 preferably integrally formed, as by forcing out a portion of the metal, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. This stop will be of sufficient height to allow it to be forced through the loop 18, the latter, while yielding sufliciently for this purpose, yet holds the toe securely in position when the stop has been forced through the loop. A post 25 is secured to the toe 23, in the preferred form of construction, and as shown herein, the post being formed in tegral with the toe. The post has an opening 26 which is screw-threaded for the reception of a screw 27 that secures the arm or blade 28 to the post. This arm or blade 28 may be of any usual form and construction, having a handle 29 by means of which the blade may be turned upon the screw 27 that forms a pivot. A stop 30 is formed on the surface of the blade, as by indenting the metal forming the blade, this stop being positioned to pass in front of and closely. against the edges of the contacts 14;, as the blade is swung on its pivot, and when so located in front of a contact, movement of the arm or bladeand hence of the toe 23 endwise is prevented. A prime contact 31 is secured within the recess 9, and a binding screw 32 for attachment of a wire is secured to this contact. The end of the toe 23 is pressed firmly against the contact 31 and an electrical connection is thus made through the contact 31, toe 23, post 25, and arm 28 with either of the secondary contacts 13.

The device is of especial advantage when used on vehicles, motor boats or the like, as it enables the switch to be easily rendered inoperative. To accomplish this result the switch arm 28 is placed in the position shownin Fig. 1, when the toe 23 may be forced from engagement with the loop 18 and the toe and arm thus removed. The contact 31 being located well within the recess 9 a connection between said contact and a contact 13 can not be readily made without the employment of the arm 28. There is, therefore, little liability of any unauthorized use being made of the switch.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown an improved construction of post and toe or base therefor. As will be readily seen, these are constructed of a single piece of sheet metal cut to desired form as shown in Fig. 8, the T-shaped end being bent upward at rightangles to the base or toe, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9. The parts forming the T-shaped end are then bent around to produce the opening 26, as shown in Fig. 9. This opening may be threaded for the reception of a screw to hold a part in position on the post, and as will be seen, the construction is simple and cheap and forms a durable and eflicient contact member, there being no joint between the post and its plate or toe.

I claim i V 1. A base, secondary contacts arranged thereon, a switch arm and a post pivotally united to permit engagement of the arm with either of the contacts, said post having retaining means arranged to disengage by a movement of said post in a line transversely to its axis to disengage it from the base, means for retaining the post in position on the base, a primary contact, and connections between said post and primary contact.

2. A base, secondary contacts arranged thereon and having openings facing each other, a switch arm and a post pivotally united to permit engagement of the arm with either contact, said post having retaining means arranged to be disengaged by a movement of said post in a line transversely to its axis to disengage it from the base, a primary contact, and connections between said post and primary contact.

3. A base having a slot extending from its edge, secondary contacts mounted on the base, a switch arm and a post pivotally united, said post fitting said slot, means for retaining the post in the slot, a primary contact, and connections between said post and primary contact.

4:- A base having secondary contacts, a switch arm and a post pivotally united, said post being removably attached to the base, a primary contact, and a toe projecting from said post to continuously connect with said contact when the post is in place.

5. A base, secondary contacts mounted thereon, a switch arm and a post pivotally united, said post projecting through-the base and removably secured thereto, a toe secured to the post and projecting therefrom underneath the base, and a primary contact located underneath the base in position to continuously touch said toe when the post is in place.

6. A base, secondary contacts mounted thereon, a switch arm and post pivotally united, said post being removably secured to the base and located near one edge, a..contact located in a recess underneath the base near the opposite edge from said post, and a toe extending from said post to continuously touch said contact when the post is in place.

7. A base, secondary contacts mounted thereon, a switch arm and a post pivotally united, said post being removably attached to the base, a loop located underneath the base, a primary contact underneath the base, and a toe extending from said post through said loop to touch the primary contact.

8. A base having secondary contacts mounted thereon, a post and a switch arm pivotally united, said post being removably attached to the base, a spring loop located underneath the base, a primary contact located underneath the base, a toe extending from the post through said loop to touch said contact, and means on said toe to hold it in engagement with said loop.

9. A base having a slot extending from one edge, secondary contacts mounted on the base, a switch arm and a post pivotally united, said post fitting said slot, a primary contact located in a recess in the base at a distance from said slot, a loop located underneath the base, anda toe secured tosaid post to project through said loop and touch said contact.

10. A base having a recess on its under surface, a groove extending from said recess toward the edge and a slot extending through the base into said groove, secondary contacts mounted on the base and extending therethrough and having terminals located in said recess, a switch arm and post pivotally united, said post extending through said slot, a primary contact located within said recess, and a toe secured to said post and projecting along said groove to continuously touch the primary contact when the postis in place.

11. A base having a recess, a groove extending therefrom toward one edge and a slot, secondary contacts mounted on the base and projecting therethrough into said recess and having terminals located therein, a primary contact located in said recess, a switch arm and post pivotally united, said post projecting through said slot, a loop located in said groove, and a toe projecting from the post along said groove through the the post is in place, and a switch arm pivotloop to touch the primary contact. ally connected With said post.

12. A base secondary contacts mounted thereon, a post relnovably secured to the base FREDRICK HOERLE' .5 and having an integrally formed toe eX- Witnesses:

tending underneath the base, a primary ARTHUR B. JENKINS,

contact to continuously touch said toe When L. E. BERKOVITOH. 

